Wall government out of step with Nobel Prize winning economists

A report and article that appears in the March 1, 2009 Wall Street Journal illustrates that the Saskatchewan Party government under the leadership of Premier Brad Wall is clearly out of step with 40 highly respected and accomplished economists, 3 of whom have won the prestigious Nobel Prize for Economics.

In short, the article entitled: Economists Debate Pro-Labour Measure reports on a recent statement signed by the 40 economists that was sent to the U.S. Congress calling for passage of the "Employee Free Choice Act". The Employee Free Choice Act is strongly supported by President Barack Obama.

Additional coverage of this significant declaration including the list of endorsing economists has been submitted to the Economic Policy Institute and is posted on their website entitled: Noted economists: The Employee Free Choice Act is needed to restore balance in the labor market.

Amongst the list of notable economists are Nobel Prize winners: Joseph E. Stiglitz, Columbia University (2001 winner); Robert M. Solow, Massachusetts Institute of Technoloy (1987 winner); and Kenneth J. Arrow, Stanford University (1972 winner).

The statement seriously and significantly contradicts suggestions by the Sask. Party government and their corporate backers that various pieces of Saskatchewan's labour legislation were out of balance prior to recent amendments rammed through the legislature by Wall and his team.

A reading of these two articles will reveal the truth -- Saskatchewan's labour legislation prior to the Wall changes were already balanced. But they aren't any more, they are now heavily skewed in favour of the bosses and the corporations.

In addition, the articles make the case that more unionization and strong unions are "a critically important step in rebuilding our economy and strengthening our democracy by enhancing the voice of working people in the workplace."

Download a PDF version of the Economists' Statement by clicking here.....